Jasper County Democrat, Volume 21, Number 15, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 May 1918 — WINAMAC DOCTOR WRITES OF HUNS’ BRUTALITY. [ARTICLE]

WINAMAC DOCTOR WRITES OF HUNS’ BRUTALITY.

The best written letter we have seen of the recent German drive is that of Lieut. George H. Reddick of Winamac, which recently appeared in the Pulaski County Democrat, in describing his experiences on the battle front in caring for the wounded men and how the beastly Huns fired upon the wounded soldiers and Red Cross attendants. Mr. Reddick is a son of former County Superintendent Reddick of Pulaski county, and is known to be an honorable and truthful man. His letter follows: April 5, 1918. The intense German “push’’ which began March 21 is now history and everyone in the United States has read of it by this time, and by the time you receive this some will have forgotten it. My friends in and about Winamac may have wondered how I fared, and that fact prompts this letter. If I attempted to write to everyone I would have writer’s cramp, so I will reach them through the medium of the Pulaski County Democrat. I trust the censor will not be too severe, for I will try not to say anything that is not common property in France.

When I came to France I was assigned to take over the medical duties in a regiment In a division that had gained the njme of fighters. I learned it was no misnomer. Things are done on a large scale in this war; for example, a division is about the smallest unit referred to. My division was holding a section of the line, and my regiment was very near the boche line. My aid Dost was a large cast iron hut, similar in shape to an inverted half of a watermelon cut length wise. On top, about the sides and around the entrance were piled a countless number of sand bags. In spite of this precaution, a niece of shrapnel weighing ten pounds came into the aid post, but for that exception we were not bothered except for gas. We were doing the usual routine of trench warfare when about 4:30 a. m. on March 21 we were subjected to a bombardment of eras, shrapnel, high explosives, machine guns, trench mortars, etc.- —more intense than the British army had seen up to that date. Soon the wounded began to go through uiy hands —all day, all night and all the next day. I slept one hour, t worked and slept with my gas mask on. When I return I shall give any of my friends an opportunity to sleep with a box respirator on. 'it is some job. I remember one man who had a minute piece of shrapnel. in one eye. It was imbedded in the eye ball and gave him intense pain. I took it out, but must say that to do so while looking through the eye-discs of a gas helmet was no small job, with the patient also wearing his mask except over that eye. My aid post was the only nne in a large area that withstood the bombardment, and therefore nas receiving wounded from a large area. (As I read over this it strikes me that it may smatter a good deal of the "I,” but it is not meant that way—l can only write from my viewpoint.) After two days of bard fighting

the line on our right gxve way and the Hun came ■* close, whieh made our situation very daageroos. On 1 the second might, at 2 a. we retreated. That march back I shall not forget. The boefee was only about 54)6 yards as. We expected him to "opea'ng"’ *>y minute, but he didn't hear as. All talked only in whiskers, there was no and no rattling equipment. When day broke we were behind the rex line’ that had been established. During the two days that hid passed I on several occasions saw the boche “strum txwppea" »storm troops.) They were big fellows, with new uniforms, heknets painted white, and in thousands. The officers were mounted, and the men carried several days' ratsons. They made fine targets for oar fire, but went about in the methodical manner attributed to the Germans, seemingly undisturbed by their heavy losses. We were in an old abandoned camp for a day or sb, sat within range of the Han .guns, and were many times visited by the boche bombing planes. Ere® in the daytime they would fir over os and fife, at us with machine gsns. ~lWe"~nexf“T6BT“Over-w—----the new lime just estat Lisa ed. The headquarters of my regiment too-c up a location in a dogout about fifteen feet undergroond. There were five good-sited rooss in it, all connected by hallways. One room was my aid post. For a few days we were not noteted. except for occasional shelling, when one mom-, ing about 5 o'clock the Hun opened out on our durowt with high explosive shells. I expected for it to be blown in any mfnate- Soon the wounded began to arrive, aul again I was a busy man. Fortumately the boche didn't put over much gas, for he intended taking this location and didn't wish to be interrupted by his own gas. Soon he began ns advance- in battle j formation. During this time our ■ artillery was making it warm for him, and as soon as he eame within range the machine guns fairly mowed them down. Bat it seemed to make no dent in the advancing lines. It is known that every avail- j able man in the Germa army was j on this front, and there was no stopping him. His system of advance was like Hack-work; bring down the barrage "ike an intense thunder-storm, then lift it and advance. i The shelling was so heavy we could n.ot ,get the wounded but c' i the dugout, s© we moved back about 406 yards into a spoken road. Well, he commfnred or the road, so we moved hack about yards to a trench. We ■ had evacuated each position of its wounded as we went, and by the cure we reached the trench all the stregefcer bearers were loaded, so I took a hand with one end of a stretcher myself. The Hun had roste up in front and had broken through our line on both the right and left of the dugout. It was inevitable that he was going to take tie new position.

so we were ordered to retreat. Then I started across the country with my party of bearers, with red crosses on their arms, five stretcher cases with large white bandages, and many walking wounded with large white bandages. All this was easily visible, and I emphasize it for the reason that during the trip two boche planes flew over us and fired at us with machine guns. I never wanted a gun so badly in all my life. Talk about Hun honor. Bah! He has no regard for the Red Cross or a wounded man. I have many pieces of shrapnel that missed me by an inch, and some that hit me but which were spent when they hit. When those planes flew over I thought my time had come. We retired to a sunken road and lived there over night, the next day and far into the next night, when we were relieved. I slept in. the mud of this road, with no blanket or covering, and they could get very few rations to us. After being relieved we marched for a day and a night and camped in a village where I now am. I had not had my clothes or boots off for two weeks, and when I took my boots off my feet were so numb that I could not feel hot water for a couple of minutes. In fact, I thought the water was cold, when suddenly discovered it otherwise. We had no chance to shave or wash for seven days, and were living like animals. But there was no complaint from anyone. We know that the boche is going* to be beaten in the end. There is no better spirited man than the one in the field, and if the people at home do not let tho fighting man down, the kaiser and his crowd are going as sure as the sun rises. The eyes of the world are turned on the U. S., and it must make no mistakes. Then Uncle Sam will win this war. I am in a French village and in a real bed—the first I haze slept in since Jan. 4. The Hun is fairly (juiet now, but is expected to break b .e any time, and then wt- will be into it again. The British army is everywhere about here, but the French people have spotted me as the American officer. They are very courteous but our conversation is limited, as my knowledge of French .is slight. I have established communication with Lieut. Vernal Diggs, but he is the only Winamac boy I have heard from up to date. I trust all “over here’’ from Winamac and vicinity are O. K. and that I may be fortunate enough to meet them in a friendly way, but not in a professional way. / I receive my Democrat fairly regularly, and read it all —even the advertisements. The post is not very regular at present, but when conditions improve the mail situation will also. I would like to hear from my friends thereabout, but will them to get my adclress from you, as I cannot put it in this letter. Truly yours, GEORGE H. REDDICK, Lt. M. R. C., U. S. A*